Of Anime And Blanket Forts
by OfTransformersAndAnime
Summary: Knock Out has been an Autobot for a little while, Bumblebee checks on him. He learns of a dark secret Knock Out has held close, and both him and Ratchet show what family & friendship really mean to Knock Out.


Knock Out wasn't an easy mech to get a hold of. He had settled in, become their medic but saying he befriended them was a long shot. He was either in the medabay or hiding in his room. The human kids had different views on him, Miko acted like she hated him, Jack refused to give him a chance but Raf enjoyed him and open chatting him on skype while he worked.

Bumblebee felt Knock Out was hiding long enough and opened his bedroom door. He stared at the weird thing on Knock Out's bed.

" Oh..it's just Bee, we're good" Knock Out said as he turned the sound back on.

"What..are you doing..?" Bumblebee asked.

"Raf gave me a huge pile of anime to watch and I don't feel like doing my reports so I'm hiding in a blanket fort so maggie can't see me" He says.

Bumblebee laughed at that and carefully got under it as well.

" You skype?" He asks.

" Yeah, It's kinda fun. I work myself into the well, and he gets to watch. Sometimes Ratchet likes to add some commentary from time to time, scare me half too death thinking he is in the room with me." Knock Out says.

"Well...if you weren't always doing shit when I say Hi, you wouldn't jump" Ratchet says via Skype

"Ratch, I am a saint..er...angel..I never do anything wrong..." Knock Out says, smirking.

"Please...your halo fell off ages ago, KO" He stated back.

" Now I know he loves me, he called me KO. Ah yeah, I win! Smokescreen owes me some high grade" Knock out said.

Ratchet flipped him off and sulked off, back to work.

" I though you and Ratchet didn't drink?" Raf asked.

" Well...Ratchet is a recovering addict, me? I'm just small so half a cube and I'm sobbing in the corner and talking to..stuff. It's not graceful. Mostly I just want it so Smokie has to admit someone likes me on the team aside from you. I'll probably just give it away or something." He explains.

Bumblebee was taken aback but what he said. He didn't feel wanted? That made Bumblebee sad that Knock Out felt that way.

" But you are wanted. Optimus is always bragging about you and Ratchet, and I would seek you out more but I figured you needed time to find your own pace." Bumblebee said, half watching the laptop screen and half watching Knock Out for his reactions.

" It's not that..per say...but...the Wreckers want to punish me for Breakdown, and Arcee wants me dead for Clifjumper, Ultra Magnus tells Optimus I'm a pain and never do anything right. The problem is, we both are OCD and type A, but he wants it only his way and when I try to explain, he makes threats and hand gestures, then whines I don't trust him. I'm the smallest on the team, I don't like Mechs that tower over me. He's a lot like Starscream. He talks with his hands with little care on how it effects his troops. Unlike Optimus who takes notice." He says back.

Bumblebee thought about it and had to admit that Magnus wasn't the warmest Mech on the team.

"And Ratchet...?" He asks.

"He is still scarred from being taken hostage. I think a small part of him wants to yell at me for not protecting a fellow Medic, and he is old school. So when Optimus gives us a shared project, it's old school vs new school. But despite that, if someone mocks me or makes a move to strike me, I know Ratchet wouldn't stand for it. It's just a confusing time period for him. He went from trying to beat me, to now us standings on equals on the same side." Knock Out explained.

Ratchet smiled abit. Sure, the Medic was a pain in his side but Knock Out was out spoken, faithful and willing to put his name on the line. Still, he had moments he swore he was going to strangle the dam bot.

" I guess that makes sense...I had hoped you two would be friends" Bumblebee said.

" We're friends, atlease, I think we are" Knock Out said as he clicked to start the next eposide

Raf looked at Ratchet.

" You're his friend right?" Raf asked.

"...I don't know what I would call him to me. His death would hurt in a way, and I do enjoy him. Sometimes I want to strangle him, but he is smart and can back up his big talk. But friend? I'm not sure that's the right label." Ratchet answered.

Raf nodded, but seemed abit sad.

" Raf, Knock Out matters to me and also the team. Human labels are hard sometimes. I would hate to give him a label, and then have something happen and he gets hurt. Knock Out already told me once he wanted to die. When dealing with someone who is suicidal, you have to be very careful. You can't tell them what they want to hear, and then remove the carpet from under them. It would be utterly cruel and heartless. If Knock Out did commit suicide. I would mourn him and feel I failed to make me appear to be an option to seek out. But, I am far from whole myself. I too am damaged from the war. I don't want to confuse the team into thinking I can handle all their problems, my own and human issues. By not giving Knock Out a label, I give him the image that I am open to him but not his only option. Knock Out can turn to Bee or Prime as well." Ratchet explained, cleaning a tool.

Raf turned from the screen to stare at Ratchet. Knock Out wants to die...?

Bumblebee caught it as well and stared at Knock Out.

"KO...?" Bumblebee started

Knock Out smiled abit sadly at them both, playing abit with the blanket threads.

" It's...not totally like that...I've always struggled...and...Breakdown always fixed my messes for me...now...I have to fix my own messed and...I'm not good at that. It's easier to cause a scene and then run away...and sometimes...I forget how to be happy or smile or laugh. But I am happy here, with you and Sweet Rims. I just..sometimes need to recharge my social batties. Mental Illness...is a confusing thing. We shove pills at them, tell them to smile more and then when they ask for help...we order them to walk it off. Nobody wants to be friends or a lover to a hot mess. It's hot and sexy in movies or books, but when one of own has it, we find them a pain or call them a drama queen. Nobody wants a broken best friend. If we do, we feel we've settled. That's what we need to fix, we need to more accepting of those broken or stumbling about. I'm smart, but what do other Mechs see? That I'm hot or I'm drama queen. Nobody ever eyes my mind first. I am more than my looks but I am also more than my flaws or my depression or my messy life. Breakdown took it all on and took me as a mate. But then humans took him from me...and everyone here is pro-humans. How do I fit in such a group? I fear..hate humans. Sure I like Raf, he is smart so I can relate to him. But most humans scare me." Knock Out explains.

Bumblebee couldn't stand it and hugged the smaller Mech.

" You can't choose death, KO, We need your sassy bitchy ass around here. Who else is gonna piss off everyone at the top of the chain at once? That's your gift to us. Plus, you make the best blanket forts! You gotta pass this skill on" Bumblebee said..

Knock Out stiffened at first but relaxed into the touch.

" Really...? Blanket forts are easy, dork. Plus..I don't like pissing off Wheeljack, Arcee and Magnus at once! They yell and then make weird hand gestures while I tried to diffuse only to settle for making it worse. Can't rally reason with people who don't want a different opinion." Knock Out whined.

Bumblebee laughed at that and shook his head at the cherry medic.

" Either way, your stuck with us" He points out.

" Ratch...save..me..." Knock Out whines.

"Please...I've been 'stuck' with this group a lot longer" Ratchet says over skype.

"Explains your lack of sanity...I kinda like mine as is..." Knock Out says

"Hey! I caught that! I'll remember that next time to comm me at 3 am with a 'great idea', Knock Out" Ratchet says.

"Wait..no...come on...your my wing man! I need you..." Knock Out whines.

Ratchet laughed abit and even Bumblebee joined in.

Knock Out smiled despite the mental pain. These were his friends, even if they choose not to use such a label. He had found his family. He just hoped Breakdown could have been here to see what he had gained. But for now, these weirdos will do nicely.


End file.
